Super Bowl Party snacking 101: Five perfect menu handoffs for Sunday

Sure, you could grab your Bobby Flay cookbook down off the shelf for the big game, or tap some Paul Deen masterpiece and make it your own centrepiece dish for that big Super Bowl Sunday party this weekend, but we think we’ve come up with a culinary hero that speaks to the state many people find themselves in during Super Bowl weekend (a little tipsy and a lot hungry), although we’re not suggesting for even a second that it’s a good idea to try to beat the star of My Drunk Kitchen at her own game in your home kitchen. Hannah Hart’s obviously a professional at this point.

But, generally inspired by Hart and her Super Bowl giddiness (and umm, 16 different versions of pigs in a blanket), here are five other ways to wow your guests with decadent, high-caloric treats on the highest American feast of pigging out. And remember that on Super Bowl, yes, mustard is a garnish.

1. Cayenne Candied Bacon

The only way to make bacon even more delicious (and perhaps more heart attack inducing) is to coat them with brown sugar, add a dash of cayenne pepper and bake them to a crispy, sweet and spicy goodness. Wanna a special Canadian Super Bowl party? Try it with peameal. If it doesn’t work, tell your guest the CFL made you do it.

For some reason, we doubt this is what crescent rolls were meant for, but then again, if Hannah Hart can massacre them in her Drunk Kitchen, you can surely wrangle more out of them in your mostly sober one. This unusual take on traditional tacos combines ground beef, salsa, lettuce and black olives for a dish that, honestly, we can’t believe isn’t served in every sports bar already.

4. Pull-Apart Party Loaf

We’ve never met a pull-apart anything that we didn’t like. Although this loaf may look like it’s about to explode, rest assured that’s only because it’s stuffed with cheese, jalapeno peppers, bacon and melted butter. When the chips are down (to their last crumbly bits in the bottom of the bowl), that’s when you’ll pull this puppy from the oven just in time for fourth and one, and to shut up that jerk who keeps wanting to order Dominos.

5. Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dessert Dip

Cheesecake is great, but who has time to make it on game day? And everyone knows that store-bought dessert on this hallowed of sports holidays is the ultimate cop-out. This recipe allows you to cheat by combining a block of cream cheese, mini chocolate chips and caramel sundae sauce for the perfect dip (and who doesn’t want to keep dipping after nachos and tacos?) to eat with those healthy, tart Granny Smith apples.